Work conveying apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 1942- L. H. DE WYK 2,288,612

WORK CONVEYING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 20, 1936 5 sh s 2 BEE-5 I /5 INVENTOR Original Filed Nqv. 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVENTOR ATTORN EY July 7, 1942. L. H. DE WYK WORK CONVEYING APPARATUS Original Fi led Nov. 20, ess 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 EELS ATTORNEY y 2- L. H. DE WYK 2,288,612

WORK CONVEYING APPARATUS Originai Filed Nov. 20, 1936 5 sheetsaheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1942.

WORK CONVEYING APPARATUS Ludolf H. De Wyk, Ansonia, 001111., assignor to The Sponge Rubber Products Company, Shelton, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Original application November 20, 1936, Serial No. 111,769. Divided and this application July 9, 1941, Serial No. 401,629

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus which incorporates a traveling articulated train of interconnected self rigid carriers for holding and conveying work, and particularly for conveying material of slowly flowable or plastic nature in a manner to prevent escape of such work material from its designed supporting surfaces on the traveling carriers.

In particular the present improvements are useful for conveying work material of this nature, as for instance sponge rubber compound, into and through a molding and vulcanizing machine such as that which is the subject of my copending application, Serial No. 111,769, filed November 20, 1936, from which the present application is divisional.

One object of theimprovements herein claimed is to provide means to support, impel and corelate such carriers so that they may move in endless procession while any desired number of adjacent carriers in a predetermined stretch of the train are dependably forced into tightly abutting mutual engagement despite any looseness which may develop between the associated parts of the train or its impelling mechanismtfrom wear, or which is necessary to the freedom required for certain mechanical performance of the train.

Another object is to provide an endless train of such carriers fixedly interconnected to form a chain that passes around spaced supporting wheels.

Another object is to provide a driving mechanism adapted to furnish impelling power directly to the carriers of the train without utilizing the pivotal joints between interconnected chain links for transmitting such power to other carriers of the train.

Another object is positively to impel ,the carriers of the train by constantly pushing ahead upon successive carriers as they pass a driving mechanism.

A further object is to provide a retarding mechanism which shall so cooperate with the driving mechanism of the traveling train of carriers that the force with which adjacent carriers of such train shall be shoved into abutting contact with each other while the machine is running may selectively be determined by a means of adjustment that may be availed of either while the machine is idle or while the machine is running.

A further object is to eliminate as fully as possible all frictional resistance tending to oppose travel of the carriers between the before men- 55 tioned driving mechanism and retarding mechanism thereby to reduce such resistance to materially smaller proportions than would result from straight surface to surface sliding support and constraint of the carriers in this portion of their travel.

A further object is to provide an anti-friction track adapted to support the weight of individual carriers as they travel and composed of a series of freely turnable rollers, which track is sectional and supported upon the frame of the machine in such manner that diiierent sections of its length are separately removable from the machine frame, the rollers preferably being so spaced that two of them always contribute to the support of a single carrier.

A further object is to provide a downward acting means of thrust opposing constraint for all of the traveling carriers between the before mentioned driving mechanism and retarding mechanism to prevent upward buckling of the train in this portion of its length, such thrust opposing means preferably taking the form of an overhead track-like series of anti friction rollers supported by the frame of themachine in regulatable relation to the roller supported carriers passing therebeneath.

A further object is to provide bearings for at least one chain carrying wheel shaft which shall be adjustable in relation to the frame and in relation to the other chain carrying wheel shaft in a manner to regulate the tightness or looseness of its carried chain.

A particular object of the present improvements is to provide for the supporting and impelling of interchangeable kinds of carriers so that .carriers of a given train may be rep-laced, by other carriers, and which may contain work holding cavities of different shapes andsizes, each, carrier for this purpose being separatelyandinterchangeably mountable uponand. removablefrom any one of the associated linksof the chain quickly and conveniently.

A further object is separately andremovably to mount upon a common chain link with each carrier, and in rigid relation to such link and carrier, a block provided with gear teeth so spaced and arranged that asuccession of such blocks may form a traveling rack meshable with-frame carried power gears and-retarding gears.

A further object is .to provide only whole teeth upon each of such toothed blocks for meshing engagement with the teeth of .powerland retarding gears.

A further object is to .make use .of key-like projections for laterally guiding the carriers during their idling travel in their return journey along the bottom stretch of the chain between the spaced chain supporting wheels so that the work supporting face of the carriers may be protected as fully as possible in this return travel against lengthwise rubbing and wear.

A further object is to support one or more heat delivering units, as for instance steam plates, in a manner to be adjustable upon the frame so that the nearness of such unit or units to the traveling carriers can be adjusted finely at will.

A further object is to mount the before mentioned anti-friction roller track and heat delivering unit in separately adjustable relation upon a common frame so that a plurality of such tracks and plates may individually be adjusted in relation to the traveling carriers of a train deriving its support from a common frame.

The foregoing and other objects will become clear from the following description of apparatus which embodies illustrative forms of these improvements, and which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a vulcanizing machine which incorporates conveying apparatus embodying the present invention, a portion of such machine and apparatus being shown in longitudinal vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the support of one carrier jointly by two track rollers.

Fig. 3 is a View of the machine in end elevation looking from the left at Fig. 1 and showing upper portions of the machine vertically sectioned on the several planes 333-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken in section on the vertical plane 44 in Fig. 1 and is drawn on a greatly enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of three of the carriers and five of the toothed blocks in the top span of the lower chain of Fig. 1 drawn on a scale somewhat smaller than in Fig. 4, the break indicating arbitrary proportion of carrier width to carrier length with one end of one carrier broken away better to expose the underlying chain links.

Fig. 6 is a view taken in section on the planes 666 in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is an edgewise view of four of the carriers of Fig. 5, and further shows chain links and toothed blocks in assembled relationship to certain f the carriers.

Fig. 8 is a view drawn on an enlarged scale taken in central vertical section through the driving gear shaft on the plane 8-8 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a View on a similar scale taken in central vertical section through the train-to-train transmission gear on the plane 99 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a view on a similar scale taken in central vertical section through the retarding gear shaft on the plane Iii-4f! in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the brake mechanism for the retarding gears looking from the left at Fig. 10 showing this mechanism as viewed in Fig. 1 but drawn on the same scale as in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan View looking upwardly at Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a plan view looking downward upon the combined mechanisms of Figs. 8, 9, and 10 as these mechanisms are cooperatively assembled in Fig. 1, the breaks indicating arbitrary spacing of these mechanisms lengthwise of the machine.

Fig. 14 represents diagrammatically the location in plan view of the various carrier impelling and retarding spur gears.

Certain processes which may fully or in part be carried out by the use of the present apparatus and examples of various mechanisms which may be operatively associated therewith are described in my hereinbefore mentioned copending application and also in United States Patents Nos. 2,200,262, and 2,213,527. For the purpose described in the above said application and patents, work carriers comprising a traveling train must abut tightly as they travel toward and through a processing station, which station herein is represented as the heated zone of a vulcanizing machine.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 3, the lower or fixed frame portion of such vulcanizing machine may be of any desired length. It is supported at spaced points by any appropriate number of legs I0 and includes two horizontal, laterally spaced U-channel beams I! and I2 extending parallelly throughout the length of the machine and rigidly connected together and braced by tie rods (not shown) or the like, at any suitable points in their length. Penetrating the out-turned edge flanges of each channel beam are upstanding frame posts [3 of which any suitable number may be spaced along the length of the frame. At their tops the posts 53 at opposite sides of the machine are rigidly connected and braced by cross bars or angle irons I 3 whose height, as supported by each post, may be finely regulated and maintained by nuts I5 having threaded engagement with the posts.

The upper or vertically adjustable frame portion of the apparatus comprises two laterally spaced U-channel beams H and !8 having inturned edge flanges and depending from, and made rigid to, the angle irons M in any suitable way, as by welding. These beams extend parallelly throughout the length of the machine above the fixed frame portion or lower beams H and i2. Rigidity of the upper frame portion may be increased by tie rods (not shown) connecting and bracing the channel beams ll and l 8 at suitable points along their lengths.

A horizontal shaft I9 carrying spaced wheels similar to 30 and 32 of which one appears at 22 is journaled in similar anti-friction bearing housings of which one appears at 24, which housings are respectively supported in cut-out portions of similar bearing plates of which one appears at 21, mounted against oversized cut-out ends of channel beams I1 and i8, respectively, by bolts 28 at the work receiving or left end of the machine in Fig. 1.

A similar shaft 29 carrying spaced wheels 30 and 32 is journaled in anti-friction bearing housings 33 and 34 respectively supported in cut-out portions of bearing plates 35 and 3'1 which have horizontally elongated slots 38 engaged by bolts 39 to hold the bearing plates 35 and 3'! in horizontally adjustable position on the oversized cutout ends of channel beams H and I8 respectively at the work delivery or right end of the machine in Fig. 1.

The adjustor screw 4 carried on beam l3 bears on a projecting boSs 4| of bearing plate 31 to force the latter toward the right in Fig. l for regulating the tightness of a chain of links 42 which passes around and is supported by wheels 22 and 32. A similar adjustor screw (not shown) issimilarly carried by the beam I l and acts in a similar manner upon a boss on the: companion plate of bearingplate 3 to force suchcom-- .panion plate toward the delivery end of the machine in Fig. 2 for regulating the tightness of a chain of links 45 which passes around and issupported by wheel 30 and the corresponding wheel (not shown) on shaft IS.

A similar shaft 41 carrying similar spaced WhGBISOf which one appears at 49- is journaled in anti-friction bearinghousings d and 52' respectively supported in cut-out portions of similar :bearing plates of which one appears at 54, which plates have vertically elongated slots 55 engaged by bolts 51 tohold these bearing plates in vertically adjustable position on the oversize cut-out ends of channel'beams H and t2 respectively at the receiving or left end ofthe machine inFi'g. 1'.

The adjustor screw 58 is carried on' beam t2 andbears-on a boss59-of bearing plate'54 to raise the latter or permit it to-be lowered in Fig. 1, and a similar adjuster screw (not shown) is carried by the beam I I and acts in a similar manner upon the companion plate of bearing plate 53 to raise the latter or permit it to be lowered.-

A similar shaft 69" carrying spaced wheels- 62 and 5-3 is journaled in anti-friction bearing housings 6 3 and 65, respectively-supported in cut-out portions of bearing plates 61 and 5b, which have horizontally elongated slots 6% engaged by bolts lil'to hold" bearing plates-W and 63in horizontally adjustable-position on the oversize cut-out ends of channel beams H and 12- respectively at the delivery or right end ofthe machine in Fig. 1. The adjustor screw 12 is carried by beam I 2 and bears-on a projecting boss 13 on bearing plate 68 to force the latter toward therig-ht in Fig. 1 for regulating the tightness of a chain of links M which passes around and is supported by wheels 45 and 53-. A similar adjustor screw (not shown) is similarly carried by the beam H and acts in a similar mannerupon the bearing plate 61 supporting hearing housing 64* to force the latter toward the delivery endof the machine in Fig. 14' forregulatingthe tightness of achain of links 15 which passes around and is supported by wheel 62 and by the aforesaid other wheel on shaft 41.

In Figs; 5'; 6 and 7., there is most clearly shown on an enlarged scale the construction of the chain links which is common to all of the four chain'sabove referred to, the pivotal connection between all adjacent links including a pivot pin H. The looseness-of this'pin in its bearing holes in" the links is shown on an exaggerated scale in Fig. '7 to illustrate a point of the construction which. is of importance in the operation of my improved machine.

Extending crosswise the machine and mounted at one end upon a link 45 or T5 and at the other end upon a link 42 or 14 are carriers l8 of a lower'train and similar complementary mold sections 19 of an upper train, each of which carriers and mold sections comprises a bar-like structure whose maximum width occursacross its face which contains the carrier cavities and which width is as" great or slightly greater than the minimum possible center distance between successive pins 11, 11 when the play in the pin bearings has been taken up in that direction which shortens the chain. Elsewhere in the thickness of the carrier bar this width is slightly reduced as at 85 (Figs. 6 and 7). Thus adjacent carriers in train formation will be assured the ability toabutpositi-vely against each other;

at the edges of their faces which contain. the.

tails of which are shownon an. enlarged scale. in

Figs; 8 to 13 inclusive; and whose purpose it is. to apply opposed directions the forces which act to keep the carriers of a-common train in tightly abutting contact independently of. looseness in the fit of pivotpinsl'l' while thecarriers are con veying material to or in a processing station be-- tween. the driving and retarding mechanisms. These mechanisms. will hereinafter be explained in fuller detail.

Uponeach chain link, at the end of its supported carrier, is rigidly mounted an Lshaped block 83 in which is cut a number of preferably whole gear teeth fi l-whose contours may be those of the teethof a rack. The tooth spacing is such with reference to the adjacent edges of the L- shaped blocks that the pitch spacing between the end teeth of two adjacent blocks is equal to the pitch spacing between adjacent whole teeth on a single block. This pitch spacing is determined by the placement of the blocks 83 upon their respective chain links and by the interabutting of adjacent carriers, there being preferably a small space 85 between adjacent blocks about equal to the crevice 82 between the car-- rier portions 8b as shown in Fig. '7. This further makes. possible an economical method of producing the toothed blocks 83 by cutting apart a rack in which has been milled a continuous series of ordinary gear teeth, the thickness of the cutting saw equaling the space 85.

- Fig. 6 shows most plainly the manner in which the end of each carrier 19, and likewise the toothed block 83-, are rigidly secured to the same chainlink by similar cap screws 81 having threaded engagement with the link and having their heads sunk within counterbores in the exposed surfaces of the carrier and of the block. The carrier and/or the toothed block may thereby selectively and independently be removed from the link for replacement or repair. This construction is preferably common to all of the carriers and toothed blocks which are respectively associated with the separate chains of links. Each toothed block has relieved or cutback corners at 88 which afford the clearance to permit angular inclination of adjacent toothed blocks relative to each other as they are carried by the chain around each of the chain supporting wheels as shown in Fig, 1-.

While the working faces of the carriers may be recessed toform cavities of any desired shape, size and relationship, the cavities shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7, comprise closely adjacent half round grooves 92 disposed end to end in adjasections of the upper train, each carrier of the lower train, near each of its ends, is equipped with a fixed key 89 adapted to engage with a corresponding keyway 90 in the opposed surface of each mold section of the upper train. The keyway is preferably deeper than the projecting portion of the key so that a small clearance exists between the top of the key and the bottom of the keyway when these parts are fully engaged. If the two trains of mold sections are so related that the junctions between mold sections of one train are staggered with relation to the junctions between the mold sections of the other train, each key will engage with a portion of the two aligned keyways in adjacent mold sections, so that this key and keyway engagement will perform the further important function of keeping the molding grooves of adjacent mold sections in a single train in straight directional alignment with one another.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 to 4, there will now be described the support tracks which extend lengthwise of the processing station for hearing the weight of the horizontally traveling train of carriers, and also the superimposed constraining tracks of similar construction and corresponding length, which prevent the mold sections of the overhead train from being lifted away from designed closeness to the carriers of the lower train by the expansive power of such swelling vulcanizable plastics as sponge rubber composition when confined and heated within the mold chambers formed by cavities 92. Extending lengthwise of the machine and secured upon the top flange of each of channel beams II and I2, respectively, are running plates 93 and 94. A sectional run of trough-like structure giving bearings to a series of freely turnable track rollers, extends lengthwise of each running plate and is fixed to the top thereof and comprises a base strip 95 and upstanding side strips 91 and 98, secured to the base strip 65 by through bolts 99. In each of the side strips are seated a series of ball bearings I respectively supporting the rollers I02. The latter partly occupy the trough between the side strips The links 14 and 15 of the lower chain ride .upon the track rollers I02 and the latter are preferably so spaced that at least two of them may contribute to the support of each link in the chain (see Fig. 2). This arrangement, together with flexibility in the train of carriers produced by the pivotal joint between links, relieves each pair of rollers from supporting more than half the weight of the carrier plus the weight of one link and one rack block end portion. The base strip 95, and/or side strips 91, 98, may be divided longitudinally into any suitable number of lengthwise sections such as A and B in Fig. 1, each section being separately removable to permit the servicing or renewal of certain rollers or bearings without disturbing those which do not require attention. Base strips 95 are secured to running plates 93 and 94 by bolts 96.

Extending lengthwise of the machine and secured against the bottom flange of each of channel beams I1 and I8, are Z-bars I03 to which a similar, but inverted, sectional run of troughlike structure is secured. This structure gives bearings to a series of freely turnable rollers I04 superimposed above the rollers I02 and is composed of a top strip I05 with separate side strips I06 and I01. The side strip I06 contains vertically elongated slots I08 penetrated by the bolts I09 having threaded engagement with the Z-bars fill I03. Sectional lengths of the top strip I05 and of the side strips I06 and I 01 are rigidly but removably held together by the through bolts I I0. In each of the side strips is seated a series of ball bearings I00, like those in the strips I06 and I01, respectively carrying the lift limiting rollers I04 which partly occupy the inverted trough between the side strip-s. The top strip I05 may be adjustably forced or held downward by the heads of vertical adjustment screws II3 which have threaded engagement with the Z-bars I03 and with the lower flange of the frame beam, being held from accidental turning by the lock nuts When there is any tendency of the link of either lower or upper chains to rise, owing to buckling action which might be occasioned by straight-a-way impelling and opposing forces applied to the train of carriers while passing through the processing station, these links of either chain will be held downward by rollers I 04 at each side of the machine but these rollers will offer practically no frictional resistance opposing the designed straight line travel of any link in the chain while passing through the prof:- essing station.

The top strip I05 and/or side strips I06, I01, may be divided longitudinally into any suitable number of sections, such as C and D in Fig. l, which will permit the servicing or renewal of certain rollers or bearings without disturbing these which do not require attention, and will further permit independent vertical adjustment of different such sections.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 8 to 13, inclusive, the driving and retarding mechanisms by which impelling power and opposing resistance is applied directly to the toothed blocks 83 during their travel through the processing station (considered as the portion of the machine occupied by contiguous stretches of the chains) will now be described. The spur gear H5 is fixed on a vertical shaft H1 and constantly meshes with one or another toothed block 83 carried by links 14 of the lower chain, and is rotated clockwise in Fig. 13 by power, thereby constantly acting to impel these blocks from left to right in Figs. 1 and 13 as the teeth 84 on the successive blocks come into mesh with the teeth on gear H5. The shaft H1 is given bearing in a bushing H8 in the bearing block II9 which is bolted to the outer edge of the running plate 94 and also in the bearing cap I20 which is bolted downward against the bearing block.

Power is delivered to the shaft II1 through a bevel gear I22 fixed on the bottom end of this shaft which latter is provided with a lower bearing I23 in the frame bracket I24. This bracket is constructed to also afford bearings I25 and I21, respectively, for two horizontally extending shafts I28 and I29 extending crosswise the machine as shown in Fig. 3. The horizontal shaft I 29 rotates the bevel pinion I30 which meshes with the bevel gear I22 and is driven through the engagement of its carried spur gear I32 with a spur pinion I33 fixed to the horizontal shaft I28. At its opposite end, shaft I28 carries the pulley I34 which is belted to a smaller pulley I35 of the variable speed transmission unit contained Within the casing I31 beneath the frame of the machine. The variable speed transmission is powered from the motor I38 by means of the belt I39, best shown in Fig, 1, which drives the constant speed pulley I 40 of the transmission unit whose further details are not here shown beable relative thereto.

The set of parts illustrated in Fig. 8, for delivering power to .the train of carriers carried by the links '14 .of the lower chain, is duplicated by a similar set of parts on the opposite side of the machine, as fully shown in our aforesaid copending application Serial No. 111,769, for driving the opposite ends of the carriers carried by the links I of the other lower chain. 'It will not be necessaryhere to repeat the description of this duplicate set of parts. Their location is represented diagrammatically in Fig. 14 by the same respective numeralsprimed. In Fig. 3 it is clearly .shown that a bevel gear I22 fixed to vertical shaft :I II which drives gear H5 is driven by a secondbevel pinion I30 carried on thesame shaft 29 with the bevel .pinion I319 formerly described.

lHeld between the bearing block H9 and the bearing cap -I 29 .isa short vertical shaft I43 upon which is freely turnable the spur gear I44 which is long enough to mesh simultaneously with gear teeth 84 on blocks 83 both 'of the lower chain and of the upper chain as best shown in Fig. 9. In this mannerthe power delivered to the toothed blocks of the lower chain links I4 and I5 which have passed the spur gears H5 and II5 is transmitted to the toothed blocks of the upper chain links 42 and 45 :so as to force the latter constantly toward the right in Fig. 1 in unison with the toothed .blocks of the lower chain links and thence on through the processing station. It will be understood thata mechanism which duplicates that of Fig.9 is present at the location in Figs. 2 and 14 indicated by the same reference characters primed so that driving action is imparted simultaneously to each end of the mold sections .as well as of the carrier sections 18, I9 at each side of the machine.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, and to 13 inclusive, a retarding mechanism is shown which, with selectively regulated force, constantly and separately acts to hold backthe traveling toothed blocks of each of "the .upper and lower trains which are being pushed ahead, :or toward the right in Fig. 1, by the driving gears I I5 and I44. This retardingmechanism consists of concentrically arranged upper and lower spur gear I45 and I41, the formerof which is ffixed -to \the'top of a central vertical shaft I48 and the latterof which is fixed toa hollow or tubular shaft 149 surrounding shaft 148 and independently turn Hollow shaft I49 is rotatably journaled in the bearing iblOQk 1150 which is bolted to theouteredge of the running plate 94 and 'both shafts extenddownward through clearance holes in the flanges of frame beam I2 to beneath the lower flange of this ibeam.

.Against'the bottom of this flange, the two bearing plates .152 and I53 are rigidly mounted iinwvertically spaced relation .by hollow gposts I54 through :which extend the bolts I155 having threaded engagement with :t-helower flange of :thesframe'beam. .T late'I5'Z provides a :rigid bearing for theiho'llow'shaft 1:49 and plate I 53-affords -a;rigid bearingforwthe solid; inner shaft I48 therebelow. A friction pulley I51 is .:fixe,d ,on the loweriextremity of the hollow shaft 149 and is retarded .in :itsvrotative movementwith a force adjustable by the frictionbrake band 158. In

F.'ig'. r11 this sbandis shown to have 1one-end=se- -cured ito afixedv-anchor stud I59 and is drawn --taut tabout the ;f:riction.;pulley :I5II by the force .adf a acompression spring 4'69 :whosepower may be Y adjusted by thenuts I62 having threaded engagement with the rod-like terminal 163 of the brake band which is guided in the rigid frame post I 94. A second friction pulley I55 ,is fixed on the lower extremity of the solid inner shaft I48.:and is retarded in its movement with an adjustable .force by the brake band IEiI. In Fig. 12 this band is shown to have one end secured to a fixed anchor stud I58 which may be identical with stud I59 and is drawn taut about friction pulley I165 by the force of a compression spring I69 whose power may be adjusted by the nuts I'III having threaded engagement with the rod-like terminal I12 of the brake band which is guided in the rigid frame post I13. As in the case of the spur gears H5 and H5 of the driving mechanism, all of the parts shown in Figs. .10, ,11 and 12 are duplicated at the positionsrepresented by their corresponding numerals primed inFig. 14 on the opposite or left side of the machine for separately holding :back the toothed blocks 83 which are rigid with the opposite ends of the mold sections and which it will not be necessary to describe in detail because of their similarity in construction and operation. There is herein illustrated for delivering heat to thetraveling train of carriers a series of plate sections I containing communicating passages for steam to provide a vulcanizing heat. These plate sections combine to extend substantially the full length of the :straight-a-way span of the traveling trains of mold sections from entrance to exit of the processing stations. Steam plate sections I15 aresupported by the ends of screws I89 having threadedengagement with the angle irons I82 which are rigidly held on the running .plates 59,3, 94, by the bolts I83 screws I89 being locked in position by the nuts I84. Pull screws I85 having threaded engagement with steam plates I'I,5 pass through clearance holes in angle irons Hi2 and ;maintain the vertical adjustment of the steam plates effected by push screws I80. As further shown in :Fig. 4, a partition I86 separates the edges of the lower steam plates I15 'from'the lower roller trough strips 91.

To assist in preventing objectionable sag of the trains of mold sections and of the toothed blocks and chain links with which they respectively return in unison from the right or delivery end of the machine to the left or receiving end of the machine in Fig. 1, after passing around the .carrier wheels, there is provided in the upper portion of the machine any desirable number of outer surfaces-of the upper frame beams I1 and I8. Eachof'shafts I99 carries two flanged wheels I93 upon whose peripheries the chain links 42 and 45 ride in freely rolling contact as they successively pass these wheels in their return travel toward the left in the uppermost stretches of the upper chains in Fig. 1. The flanges on, these wheels as well as the flanges on upper carrier wheels :29, 22, 39 and 32 retain the links in accurate alignment lengthwise of the machine during their return travel to the processing station.

In the lower portion of the machine, similar shafts I94 are freely rotatable in ball bearings mounted in caps res removably secured by bolts or otherwise to the outer surfaces of the lower frame beams H and I2. Each of shafts I94 carries two grooved wheels I91 upon whose peripheries the ends of mold sections 33 of the lower train ride in freely rolling contact as they successively pass wheels [91 in their return travel toward the left with the bottom-most stretches of the lower chains in Fig. 1. The keys 89 engage with the grooves in the peripheries of wheels I91 and thus cooperate with the flanges on lower carrier wheels 48, 49, E2 and 63, to retain the trains of mold sections in accurate alignment lengthwise of the machine during their return travel to the processing station.

It should be noted that since the pulley wheels 49 and 63 are not sprocket wheels, each chain of carriers I9 is free to slip around the periphery of each such wheel at the bight of the chain and hence were it not for the support offered by rollers I91 in the idling or return reach of the chain, the very great combined weight of the carriers in said reach of the chain would be converted into a pull tending to stretch the working reach of the chain and bring cracks to play between successive work carriers between drive gear H5 and I brake gear I41.

While the entire heat retaining casing I89 for the vulcanizing machine is not shown in any one figure of the drawings, it will be understood preferably to comprise a suflicient enclosure for all parts of the apparatus above the machine legs to help to sustain a zone of sufficient heat to vulcanize rubber.

The location of lower chain carrying wheels 48 and 49 well to the left of upper chain carrying wheels 29 and 22 as shown in Fig. 1, provides a constantly moving material receiving platform in that part of the lower train of carriers which extends outwardly beyond the upper train of mold sections and toward the left in Fig. 1. This slowly but continually moving platform is well adapted to receive and support the material to be conveyed into the processing station or heat zone while at the same time exposing it conveniently to inspection and adjustment by the operator, who may thus insure that the material to be processed is suitably prepared to enter the work processing station before it is conveyed thereinto and out of his control.

While no particular kind of raw or finished work or material is herein illustrated as designed to be operated upon or processed with the help of the improved conveying apparatus herein disclosed, the operation of the work carriers will be described briefly in connection with carrying out a process of molding and uniformly vulcanizing continuous and unlimited lengths of a composition containing rubber r synthetic rubber, which composition may comprise a mixture adapted to swell considerably when subjected to a vulcanizing heat, as is the case with sponge rubber compound. Such a process is referred to in the hereinbefore mentioned U. S. Patents Nos. 2,200,262 and 2,218,527. Other kinds of materials may be worked upon and many different forms of resulting product may be manufactured with the assistance of the present improvements.

In operation carriers I9 are maintained suitably warmed by heat delivered by steam plates II when electric motor I38 is running which drives the pulley I34 at variable speed through a transmission mechanism housed at I31. The speed of pulley I35 is determined by manual adjustment of the transmission regulating hand wheel I42. Thus power is delivered at selective speed to pulley I34, shaft I28, pinion 233, gear I32, shaft I29, and bevel pinions I30 and I39. These parts are best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 14. The upright shafts Ill and III are thereby rotated respectively clockwise and counterclockwise and at uniform speed in Fig. 14 so that spur gears H5 and H5 constantly impel toward the right in Fig. 1 the successive toothed blocks 83 on opposite ends of the carriers 19 as these toothed blocks are brought into mesh with the spur gears by the chain links 74 and I5.

As the toothed blocks 83 progress they come into mesh with gears I44 and I44 on respectively opposite sides of the machine, and which gears are also in mesh with the similar toothed blocks of an upper train of mold sections I8, the last said blocks being conveyed into mesh with gears I44 and I44 by chain links 42 and 45. Thus from the receiving or left end of the machine in Fig. 1 to the work delivering or right end of the machine in Fig. 1, all of the mold sections I8 in the upper train and carriers I9 in the lower train are constantly pushed forward in unison by power applied before entrance to the processing station. Near the exit of the processing station the movement of the toothed blocks toward the right in Fig. 1 is constantly opposed, in the case of the upper train of mold sections I8, by the retarding gears I45 and I45 whose rotation is respectively opposed by the brake band I61 and by a similar brake band (not shown) on the other side of the machine. In the case of the lower train of carriers I9, the movement of the toothed blocks toward the right is constantly opposed by the retarding gears I41 and I41 whose rotation is respectively opposed by the brake band I58 and by a similar brake band (not shown) on the other side of the machine (see Fig. 10). Thus the mold sections in both trains are kept forcefully thrust together during their travel to and in a processing station from gears I44 and I44 to gears I45, I45, I4! and I41. In this travel also, mold sections I8 and carriers I9 may be maintained in face to face contact by the limited space between lower track rollers I92 and the upper series of constraining rollers I94. None of these rollers in any way oppose the straight line travel of these carriers in unison from left to right in Fig. 1.

The moving platform which is comprised of the carriers I9 as they constantly advance from the left extremity of the machine toward the gears I44 and I44 in Fig. 1, is adapted to receive a continuous supply of unvulcanized sponge rubber composition in the form of separate strips which may be continuously deposited in the respectively adjacent grooves 92 and thereby be conveyed into the processing station.

The accessible space on this moving material receiving platform enables unprocessed material to be introduced into the grooves or mold cavities 92 in various ways. Thus, a continuous Width of composition sheet may first be fed onto this platform and severed into strips respectively occupying the adjacent grooves by causing such sheet to be progressively pinched under a preferably cooled roller whose periphery may be pressed constantly downward against the upper faces of carriers I9 as indicated in the aforesaid United States patents, or successive short lengths of unvulcanized strip may be placed in or fed into the grooves or molding cavities 92 to fill them lengthwise completely as they advance toward the processing station.

The improvements as defined in the following claims are susceptible of embodiment in mechanical parts and arrangements of parts differing greatly from the particular parts and arrangements set forth in the drawings and descrip tion hereof to illustrate the invention and consequently the language of the claims will be understood as inclusive of equivalent parts and arrangements which might be substituted for those herein chosen for seizing upon the principles of these improvements.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described, embodying in combination, carriers for work to be processed linked together to form a train, powered driving means constructed and arranged to perform continuous movement in the same direction and acting thereby to push constantly on successive carriers of said train, and brake means constructed and arranged to exert a retarding force yieldingly on successive carriers of said train in a manner to oppose the travel of all carriers which have passed said driving means, thereby to cause all of the adjacent carriers between said driving means and said retarding means to be thrust tightly together as they travel in unison.

2. In combination with apparatus as described in claim 1, a series of freely turnable rollers arranged and positioned to provide anti-frictional support for the weight of the said chain links and carriers in the path of travel thereof between the said driving means and the said brake means.

3. In combination with apparatus as described in claim 1, a support frame for the apparatus, 'a track structure including a series of freely turnable rollers positioned to provide anti-frictional support for the weight of the said chain links and carriers in the path of travel thereof between the said driving means and the said brake means, said track structure being comprised of separable sections each of which sections is separately mounted on said frame in a manner to permit removal of a single track section without disturbance of the other track sections.

4. In combination with apparatus as described in claim 1, a series of freely turnable rollers arranged and positioned to provide anti-frictional support for the weight of the said chain links and carriers in the path of travel thereof between the said driving means and the said brake means, together with a superimposed series of freely turnable rollers arranged and positioned positively to limit with anti-frictional resistance the lifting displacement of said chain links and carriers as they travel along said path.

5. In combination, a chain comprised of pivotally coupled conveyor links, a work receiver having a recessed end detachably clamped against a portion of the top surface of each of said links, and means for impellably engaging each of said links comprising an L-shaped block detachably clamped against another portion of said surface of each of said links and carrying gear teeth projecting laterally outward beside the link.

6. Apparatus of the character described, embodying in combination, an endless chain of rigid links, a pulley operatively engaging each end bight of said chain in a manner idly to support the same without impelling said chain in its direction of travel, loosely fitted pivotal joints connecting adjacent links and providing play therebetween, a train of rigid carriers for work to be processed respectively attached to said links, driving means constructed and arranged to perform continuous movement in the same direction and acting thereby to push constantly on successive carriers of said train, and brake means constructed and arranged to exert a retarding force yieldingly on successive carriers in a manner to oppose the travel of all carriers which have passed said driving means while said carriers are being pushed in said direction by the latter.

7. In combination, a chain comprised of pivotally coupled conveyor links, a work receiver having a recessed end detachably clamped against a portion of the top surface of each of said links, and means for impellably engaging each of said links comprising a block detachably clamped against another portion of said surface of each of said links and carrying gear teeth projecting laterally outward beside the link.

8. Apparatus of the character described, embodying in combination, at least one endless chain of pivotally connected rigid links, a pulley operatively engaging each end bight of said chain in a manner idly to support the same so that said chain is free to slip around the periphery of said pulley and so that said chain is divided into a work processing reach of chain and an idling return reach of chain, a train of heavy carriers for work to be processed respectively attached to said links,

driving means constructed and arranged to perbetween said pulleys in a manner to prevent the weight of said carriers in said return from sagging sufliciently to exert a stretching pull on said chain around said pulleys capable of separating adjacent carriers between said driving means and said brake means.

LUDOLF H. DE WYK. 

